A Widow Who Is Still Married?

Another dip into the genealogy pool has yielded a bit of an enigma.

My second great-grandmother, Sophia Riel, wife of Joseph Major, is listed in the 1930 US Census to be a widow.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7HY-V96 : accessed 29 May 2018), Sophie Major in household of Eva Phoenuf, Champlain, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 8, sheet 11A, line 7, family 282, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1416; FHL microfilm 2,341,151.

Well, that's strange because Joseph didn't pass away until 1935.

Plattsburgh Daily Republican
January 30, 1935

The North Countryman

January 31, 1935

The obituaries state that Joseph passed away "at the Ogdensburg State Hospital" and "at an Ogdensburg N.Y. hospital".  This might be polite speak for the St. Lawrence State Hospital.  Growing up we knew it as a mental hospital.  A good write up of the facility can be found at the Watertown Daily Times website.

Even five years before, the 1925 New York State Census, I can't find Joseph, but I do find Sophia, living with her daughter and granddaughter.  Eva's husband, George Phaneuf, did die in 1924.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS7G-6D6 : 8 November 2014), Sophia Majar, Champlain, A.D. 01, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 9, line 13, New York State Archives, Albany.

I don't know why Joseph Major was there, nor why his wife indicated that she was a widow.  Perhaps there was a social stigma of having one's spouse as a patient in a mental health facility.  Maybe it was easier to declare him dead than to answer repeated questions.  I just don't know.

Joseph was interred at St. Mary's Cemetery in Champlain, New York.  16 years later Sophia passed away and was buried next to him.

Ella and Clyde Aubrey in the 1925 New York Census

I've been dabbling a bit more in to my family's history, trying to track down each time my direct lines show up in the census records, both federal and state.  It took me a while to find Ella Major Aubrey, wife of Daniel Columbus Aubrey, in the 1925 New York State Census.  She was my Great-Grandmother.  The family had been in Champlain or Rouses Point for decades.  But census takers, indexers, and transcribers do very funny things with the written word.

I finally found the family listed as Aubay.  Close.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS7G-66F : 8 November 2014), Ella Aubay, Champlain, A.D. 01, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 5, line 29, New York State Archives, Albany.

But I did find another Ella Aubrey, this time in Niskayuna, Schenectady county, New York.  Schenectady county is just two over from Otsego county, where Ella's mother-in-law, Marie Vashrow Aubrey was enumerated in both 1920 and 1930.  Marie died in Oneonta, Otsego county, New York, which is just 72 miles from Niskayuna, according to mapquest.

I thought it might be my Ella.  Just a few years off on the age.  And has a son named Clyde.  This one is Clyde R. Aubrey.  My Grand Uncle was Joseph Freeman Claude Aubrey, but I understand that he went by Clyde.  Clyde R. was a Railroad Employee.  Claude/Clyde is listed as a machinist.  Many Aubrey men in Clinton county, New York were either machinists or railroad men.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSH4-69R : 8 November 2014), Ella Aubrey, Niskayuna, A.D. 01, E.D. 04, Schenectady, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 15, line 30, New York State Archives, Albany.

I don't know who Clyde R. and Ella were, but I'm guessing they're not part of my direct family.  As always, more research to be done.

More on all branches of my family can be found here.

Tracking Narcisse Riel through census records

My 3rd Great Grandfather.

Narcisse Riel, born March 14, 1835, died 1913.  Some researchers say he died in 1912, but no source info has been given.


1851 Canadian Census:
"Canada Census, 1851," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWRC-HTL : 3 August 2016), Narcesse Rielle, Sherrington, Huntingdon County, Canada East (Quebec), Canada; citing p. 63, line 7; Library and Archives Canada film number C_1121, Public Archives, Ontario.

1860 US Census:
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCQ2-PMM : 14 December 2017), Narciss Ryell, 1860.

1870 US Census:
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8FF-NWH : 12 April 2016), Nelson Eryill, New York, United States; citing p. 38, family 280, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,418.

1880 US Census:
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZZX-58L : 20 August 2017), Nelson Aryell, Mooers, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district ED 24, sheet 339D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0820; FHL microfilm 1,254,820.

1892 New York Census:
"New York State Census, 1892," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ9P-Q9Q : 6 November 2014), Nelson Reyell, 1892; citing Mooers, E.D. 01, county offices, New York; FHL microfilm 863,412.

1900 US Census:
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS65-3JB : accessed 12 February 2018), Nelson Aul, Mooer's Township Mooer's village, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 19, sheet 13B, family 259, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,018.

1905 New York Census:
New York State Census, 1905, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKMT-VJ2 : 20 December 2017), Nelson Reyell, Mooers, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York; citing p. 14, line 37, county offices, New York.; FHL microfilm 863,413.

1910 US Census:
"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5Q7-Z1K : accessed 12 February 2018), Nelson Argell, Mooers, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 20, sheet 7A, family 148, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 932; FHL microfilm 1,374,945.

Lifting Words

On Monday evening, July 18, Mrs. Melania Trump gave a speech at the Republican National Convention.  The next day there are stories on the wires that intimate that Mrs. Trump 'borrowed' passages from a speach that Mrs. Michelle Obama gave at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Comparing the questionable sections, it looks to me like Mrs. Trump could very well be guilty of plagiarism.  Or her speechwriter could be.

New York Times - Melania Trump’s Speech Bears Striking Similarities to Michelle Obama’s in 2008
by MAGGIE HABERMAN, ALAN RAPPEPORT, PATRICK HEALY and JONATHAN MARTIN

So where might Mrs. Obama (or her speech writers) have heard some of these phrases?  Surely they weren't all original.  Off to Google Books to find some examples, from titles on astrology, selling, leadership, and a riveting journal on "power haulage".

What Your Birthday Reveals About You (2005) by Phyllis Vega

Schools at Home and Abroad (1901) by Robert Edward Hughes

First 100 Days of Selling (2007) by Jim Ryerson

Dare to Lead: Leading with Respect, Sincerity, and Service (2004) by Thomas A. Lutz

The Motor Truck; the National Authority of Power Haulage, Volume 13 (1922)

These four examples were all written before Mrs. Obama gave that speech.  Clearly, she must have plagiarized. (Note to readers: I don't think that she did.)

Well, then maybe Mrs. Trump didn't plagiarize either.  (Note to readers: I think that she borrowed the phrases from Mrs. Obama's speech.)

It is called "using a template".  When it is time to polish our resume, we find the CV of someone that we admire and use the structure of the document as a good, solid starting point.  There are templates for just about anything out there.  Book reports, slide presentations for work, heck, even limericks.  But if the users are going to use any of the content, they should give credit to the originator. 

I'm guessing that there aren't that many templates that would be in the "I'm married to the 'fill in the blank' party's presumptive presidential nominee" category.  Let's see.... Eleanor Roosevelt, Pat Nixon, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Tipper Gore, Elizabeth Dole, Laura Bush, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama, and Ann Romney. (info from FirstLadies.org)

More family fun. Oh, Joy!

My folks are back visiting, which is a good thing. I spent some time with my mom looking at various photos of her family's headstones in West Virginia. I gave her a quick lesson on FindAGrave.com and FamilySearch.org.  We found draft registration cards of her maternal grandfather, Floyd JOY, at FamilySearch.org.  I present them below.

"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25143-22776-77?cc=1968530 : accessed 10 June 2016), West Virginia > Wirt County; A-Z > image 651 of 1486; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11668-181028-79?cc=1861144 : accessed 10 June 2016), 004135276 > image 2169 of 3213. Citing NARA microfilm publications M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Note: I have edited the original image files, to straighten, remove extra space, and rotate the images.  The links in the captions will provide a true representation of the images.

Comfortably Numb

I checked my facebook feed this morning as I was walking to wake up my daughter.  A dear high school and college friend had posted that she was heartbroken over the tragic shooting at Northern Arizona University.  I looked at the news websites.  Overnight a student had shot four people, killing one, and then was taken into custody.

Sorrow filled my heart.  Anger filled my head.  My eyes welled up with tears.  A sickness churned in the pit of my stomach. 

It has been almost seven hours since I first heard of the shooting.  I'm still sorrowful.  The anger has subsided and my head is now filled with many thoughts.  My eyes are still moist.  My stomach has settled.

I write these thoughts, not to encourage debate over what to do and who is right.  I just figured that I should write them down as a release.  To help me try to make sense of what happened.

I can only speak for myself.  I think that I've become comfortably numb to the violence that is happening around me.  Last week, after the shooting in Oregon, I came up with a reason for that.  It has become commonplace.  Yes, the actual violence, but violence as entertainment. 

I enjoy watching television.  I take in a few police dramas and sitcoms each week.  The Blacklist.  Blindspot.  Blue Bloods.  The Middle.  Modern Family.  Last Man Standing.  Not tons of TV.  Last night my wife and I watched The Blacklist and then caught up on Blindspot from earlier in the week.  I'm going from memory here.  In The Blacklist episode there were three serious beatings, a police car was shot up, and at least one shooting resulting in death.  In the Blindspot episode there was a fight, an killing from a rifle, a robbery where two people are shot (one later dies), a policeman is shot (presumed dead), and at least three of the "bad guys" die in a shootout.  I really lost count.  When I accept violence like that as entertainment it has to affect me.

So why was I more upset about the shooting in Flagstaff than I was about the shooting in Roseburg?  Because there's an emotional attachment for me.  I love northern Arizona.  I think that if I could have a summer home, it would be in the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks.  In my two years of college I learned so much.  I grew in head knowledge, but more importantly, in people knowledge.  Some of the deepest friendships I have were forged at NAU.

How could the shooter in Flagstaff desecrate my school?  How could he spill blood on its campus?  I don't know the reason why he pulled the trigger.  But he wasn't doing it to desecrate the school.  My guess is that there was some disagreement and he made a very poor choice.  A choice that has consequences, both for him and for his victims.

In this writing I'm staying away from quoting people, either talking heads or politicians.  Candidate X said this.  Commentator Y said that.  Sure.  Let them.  It sounds good at their political rally or on the evening news. 

There are no easy answers to explain what happened.  There are no easy solutions.  This type of violence will continue as long as people think of themselves first.  Perhaps if society was more concerned about our fellow man and asked themselves, "How will my actions today affect other people?" we might not be in the mess that we're in.


What if we thought about every action we took before taking them? 

Do I really need to cut in front of  that driver to get a parking spot five cars closer to the store?  Can I spare a dollar or two for those in need?  Can I offer to help someone that needs help?  Can I take a few minutes each day to pray for those who are troubled?  Can I smile more?

What would happen if we tried that for a while?

My heart still hurts for the families involved.  I can't imagine the discussions that are taking place on campus.  I can't comprehend what is going through the minds of the parents of each student at Flagstaff.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the whole NAU community.

Looking back at this blog post I rambled a bit, didn't answer my own questions, and raised others to think about later.  But I feel better for having written it.

How I Made a GIF

Last week I noticed that the Digital Public Library of America, along with several of their partners, are having a GIF It Up contest soon.  I wondered if I had the chops to enter.  One way to find out.  Make a GIF.

This would be the second one that I've tried to make.  The first was a quick hack

This was assembled two years ago and I don't remember any of the resources I used.

Basically, it is just a series of images, mushed together in a sequence, so that it appears to be a moving image.  Think of those 16mm movie projectors you'd use in high school.  Well, we used them.  I'm guessing that everything is digital today.

I needed an image to see if my proof of concept would work.

So, I had to find something to edit.  Something fairly simple, but fun.  It needed to be copyright free.  I found a photo from the New York Public Library.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs:
Photography Collection, The New York Public Library.
"Charlie Bastian and Denny Lyons" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Accessed October 5, 2015.
http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-c470-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

I envisioned the base runner sliding right by the bag.  I isolated the runner.

Since I'd be layering the runner back on to the picture, I had to fill in that blank space. Copy and paste some of the existing ground.

But that left the fielder with just one leg.  A bit of copy and paste from his other leg makes him look not so piratey.

Then just drop in the runner. Not knowing how much to move him, I selected .35 inches at a time. I created an individual image each time I moved him.

These are frames 1, 5 and 10, out of 25.  I then went to EZGif.com, uploaded my individual images, tweaked some dials and got my completed GIF.

I used paint dot net as my image editing software.  It was not my intention for this post to be a complete "how to" on image editing, just a simple overview of how I made my GIF.  The DPLA has some great resources on GIF making.

As I said, this was a proof of concept.  Could it work?  Could I do it?  What could or did I learn from this?

Yes, it can work.  Yes, I could do it.  I need to clean up the images.  I was concerned about pasting the ground into the hole left by the runner.  The patches aren't really discernible.  Your eye is drawn to the runner sliding across the frame.  I do need to clean up the runner.  You know, remove the glove from his knee.  I might also move him in smaller increments.  Maybe a quarter of an inch at a time.  It might lead to a smoother GIF.

So, back to editing, hopefully to make it better.

Should A Woman Run For President?

In 1872 a woman ran for US President. Victoria Woodhull was her name (story, story).

The Cleveland Daily Leader - May 16, 1872

She wasn't elected.

Apparently there was discussion in 1960 because the Youth page of the The San Diego Union asked some high school seniors their thoughts.

The San Diego Union - April 23, 1960

I'm glad to see that we can peacefully discuss the pressing issues.

Leonard Nimoy, the early years

Leonard Nimoy, best known for his portrayal of Mr. Spock on Star Trek, passed away today.  

He was born in 1931, so the first instance of him in the US Census would be 1940.  The census has him listed as a female, the Grand Daughter of his maternal grandfather, Samuel Spinner.

Year: 1940; Census Place: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T627_1661; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 15-129

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line].
Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

He made the local paper during WWII, learning about water purification.

The Boston Herald - February 21, 1942
image from GenealogyBank.com

He wasn't just a science nerd.  He also had a thing for language.

The Boston Herald - February 28, 1946
image from GenealogyBank.com

You have lived long and prospered.  Now rest in peace.

Tape A Concert - Make A Mint

I was recently listening to Elton John's 11-17-70 and wanted to find out a bit more about it.  It was an album that performed live in a studio and broadcast on the radio.  Tapes were made into the album that was released in April of 1971.  Several bootlegs of the show were available.  Which made me wonder what they were and what the quality was.

That led me to do some research in some newspaper archives.  GeneaolgyBank.com yielded this interesting look at bootlegging from the Trenton Evening Times, June 13, 1971.  The image of The Stones' boot album is rather blurry.  I'm assuming that the microfilm of the paper was of poor quality.  I added a clear image that I found at RollingStonesNet.com.

Since the ad for Hal's Stereo Sound Center appeared on the same page as the article I thought it would be fun to look at what was available at the time.

My blogs

It was time to pull all of my blogs together.  You know, a one stop shop for all things Mark.

• My Good Life - life and stuff
• Old Knoxville Base Ball - baseball in and around east Tennessee
• Baseball Nuggets - tidbits of baseball goodness
• North Country Baseball - focusing on 19th century baseball in Clinton Co., NY
• At the Strand - movie advertisements from Clinton Co., NY newspapers
• Mark's Ephemera - sports memorabilia musings
• Got it.  Got it.  Need it. - a clearing house for sports card collectors
• Gint-A-Cuffs - a game/contest based on Topps' Allen & Ginter product

30 or so years

About 30 years ago I met Mark Cramer at the Perkins School of Piano Tuning and Technology in Elyria, Ohio.

He flew into Knoxville to tend to some piano business.  We met for dinner and spent hours talking and catching up.  We could have spent many more.

Twin sons from different mothers?

Since his lovely wife, Cheryl, didn't join him on this trip, he was Caroline's date.

If you squint really hard and use a lot of imagination you'll see a photo of Edison on Angie's phone.

Thanks, Mark, for taking the time to look me up and suggesting we get together.  We shouldn't have waited 30 years to do this.

If you need a piano tuned, I'd highly recommend contacting Mark at MySteinway.ca. Note: This service is primarily for potential clients in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Ralph G. Ringey

Ralph G. Ringey is my first cousin, twice removed. I never met him because he died 17 years before I was born. He enlisted and served in the Air Corp.  He died in action in Italy.  Here are some newspaper articles and documents that give a bit of a look into his young life.

In 1940 we find Ralph living with his folks in Pittsfield, Mass.  He's a student.

1940 Pittsfield, Massachusetts City Directory

War has come and he enlists.

from Ancestry.com

Then he weds.

Springfield Republican - February 15, 1944

Typical news story of the time.  Local boy makes good.

Berkshire Evening Eagle - June 16, 1944

This story ran three days after Ralph died.

Berkshire Evening Eagle - October 20, 1944

Springfield Republican - November 1, 1944

Plattsburgh Press-Republican - November 7, 1944

In the following article I have not included the names of all 60 War Dead, just the group of names that includes Ralph.

Boston Herald - August 24, 1948

Berkshire Evening Eagle - September 17, 1948

from Ancestry.com